Thread - Nostr Hypermedia

BitcoinEkasi bitcoinekasi@primal.net 2 weeks ago

This afternoon, two young children aged 12 and 14 found themselves caught in a strong rip current, here at Diaz Beach. With lifeguards not yet on duty for the festive season, there was no one on the beach to assist them. Fortunately, our three senior coaches (Sandiso Ntosho, Mbasa Yabo and Lukhangele Tabata, pictured below) spotted the children from our HQ. They reacted immediately, made their way to the beach, and within minutes managed to bring both children safely back to shore. All our coaches are qualified lifeguards, and when our program is not running, we continue to keep a close eye on the beach to help prevent drownings and ensure its a safe environment. This is one of many MANY incidents we’ve responded to over the years. The local government only stations lifeguards on select beaches and only during peak season, about 2 months out of the year. The other 10 months, countless people get in trouble, and other than our surf program, there's generally no one else there to help. All our surf coaches are fully qualified lifeguards and over the years we've battled with local government to contribute towards having lifeguards formally stationed here full-time. But thanks to bureaucracy, that hasn't happened. In the meantime, we'll keep saving lives. It's not about recognition, it's about doing the right thing. These young men are unsung heroes.

Replies (10)

Tommy "The Purchase" 2 weeks ago

Well done, lads 👌🏻

j j@primal.net 2 weeks ago

How can we zap these young men? @BitcoinEkasi have you thought about starting a @Fedi community? @Harlem Bitcoin 🗽🧡 has one and we use it to educate and grow and empower our community.

1 replies ↓

BitcoinEkasi bitcoinekasi@primal.net 2 weeks ago

they're not on nostr, you know kids, they all only do instagram & tiktok, but you can zap them here: lukhangele@blink.sv soja@blink.sv mbasa@blink.sv yes, we have a Fedi community, very useful for us!

3 replies ↓

j j@primal.net 2 weeks ago

Thank you for sharing their wallet addresses. Please share your Fedi community. I’d love to connect there and support.

j j@primal.net 2 weeks ago

@Fedi is amazing! I wish more people in the U.S. were using it.

BitcoinconManolito 2 weeks ago

While I fully appreciate individual selfless efforts to help others in trouble and sincerely congrat these guys, I'm completely opposed to government tutelage of people. A public lifeguard service leads to lack of freedom. It starts monitoring swimmers and soon after establishes limits under the threat of heavy fines. Everyone should take of himself. If someone is not ready for those waters, he should swim with someone who is, or do not take the risk at all.

1 replies ↓

j j@primal.net 2 weeks ago

Zapped all three of them! Thanks for sharing.

FREEDOM 2 weeks ago

When the state fails, men stand up. Quiet, daily proof that responsibility isn’t granted, it’s taken. True heroes.

BitcoinEkasi bitcoinekasi@primal.net 2 weeks ago

"It starts monitoring swimmers and soon after establishes limits under the threat of heavy fines." where do lifeguards do this? i've never encountered that. i'm not a fan of government funded lifeguards, would prefer if they allowed us the freedom to just operate as we would, but i am a fan of placing lifeguards on the beach to prevent drownings. "Everyone should take of himself. If someone is not ready for those waters, he should swim with someone who is, or do not take the risk at all. " sure, in an ideal world that would be the say things worked. but we're light-years away from that world.

BitcoinconManolito 2 weeks ago

Most of the Spanish coastal towns hire students during peak season, 8h a day, as lifeguards. They are undertrained, receive very low wages and most of them are unfit for the job. But they are entitled to ban swimming if they consider ir risky, what on average happens 20% of the days. Consider that we're talking about the peaceful Mediterranean Sea, not the North Sea. If the swimmer ignores the warning, they call the local police, who gives a ticket to the non compliant. Fines are in the 2000€ to 3000 € range. I've seen it many times. An overweight lifeguard scolding a fit swimmer for daring to swim under what they think are risky conditions. "You are putting me on danger" is the most common and stupid argument. My guess is that city halls are using this as an extra income, and young lifeguards are the collecting vehicle. This is only possible because people have normalized government tutelage. They give away their freedoms expecting security. But in the end, as B.Frankling said once, they lose both.